Tis The Season To Beat The Chill
LOOKING
BACK at my recent
article about winter and it relationship to big reds and
after-dinner drinks got me to thinking about the other
beverages of the season. The upcoming holidays present a
smorgasbord of traditional drinks and foods on which to
build with a creative twist. Who doesn’t love a steaming mug
of warmth after coming in from the rapidly cooling
Massachusetts weather? One of the most common and beloved
beverages of the season is hot cider. Having a container out
on the bar gives the comforting smell of liquid apples and
cinnamon, filling the room with its warmth. This is a
beautiful example of suggestive selling via the nose, and an
often under-utilized approach used in beverage sales. Cider
is a relatively low-cost item, whether bought pre-made or
brewed by creative souls in your own kitchen. As such, it
can increase sales while lowering your beverage cost. One
unique up-sell idea is to offer to add an ounce of calvados
or caramel liqueur to the order. This worked well for me
when I was in New Orleans, where cider is not so traditional
– can you imagine the results in New England?
Another hot
beverage favorite for the winter is hot chocolate. Enlist
the help of your pastry chef by making real hot chocolate.
In a retail store you can sell blocks of chocolate with a
real hot chocolate recipe. This is one of those great items
that works quite well on multiple menus, from dessert to
cocktails, or even as an amuse-bouche. Adding an ounce of
Baileys, peppermint schnapps or Godiva isn’t a bad idea
either. Customers order hot drinks for a treat or indulgence
so it’s important to remember the presentation. Have some
fun with how you serve these new drinks by adding chocolate
spears, cinnamon sticks, or candy canes. Homemade whipped
cream, real chocolate shavings and cinnamon are garnishes
that are guaranteed to please.
Celebratory
bubbles are another big tradition this time of year. Of
course, Champagne is the most commonly thought-of form.
There are great values from small grower Champagnes that at
times cost less than the larger houses and are equal to or
better in quality. Some personal favorites are Gimmonet,
Audoin de Dampierre and Charles Ellner. You can also
encourage your clients to look at sparkling wine from other
countries. Many have come a long way in quality that rival
Champagne’s larger house entry level NV offerings at a half
or even a fourth of the price. My favorite: 1+1=3
Cava.
On the topic of
celebrations, ’tis the time for office parties. In addition
to the standard party cocktails, creative retailers can
offer an alternative suggestion: punch. I know that for some
people punch has the same reputation as white zinfandel, but
it fits the bill if someone is looking to have alcohol at
the party without worrying about people over imbibing. Think
of how many embarrassing moments punch might prevent and,
more seriously, poor decisions to drive home. A store can
offer more creative recipes than the melted sorbet served at
4-year-old’s birthday parties or grain alcohol-spiked
mixtures at college parties. Take a look at a recent bar
book or search online for a cocktail website where you’ll
find a number to choose from. In keeping with the season,
“punch” can also be served warm, such as one based with dark
rum and butterscotch liqueur.
An area that
tends to be overlooked is beer selections. Many restaurants
and bars stay with the same selections year in and year out.
As much as I like a good hefe weizen in the summer, I tend
to crave something with a little more meat on it in the
winter. Porters, stouts and robust ales ward off the winter
chill and work well as a pairing with the more robust meats
and sauces found at this time of the year. Samuel Smith’s
Oatmeal Stout is a personal favorite, or for something more
state side check out Stone Brewery.
Finally, I can’t
write an article about winter beverages without mentioning
red wines. Adding to the list of big red grapes that are
starting to gain momentum is Charbono. Thought to be the
almost extinct French variety of Corbeau/Charbonneau, in the
past Charbono has been made somewhat similar to Barbera. In
the hands of the Californian winemakers, I can only describe
the offspring as a love child of Syrah and Zinfandel. The
earth and pepper notes of Syrah with the plumy extraction of
a warm climate Zinfandel make a perfect wine for cold winter
nights.
